Strawberry Pretzel Salad

5 from 1 vote

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry pretzel salad is sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy — layered with buttery pretzels, a light cheesecake-style cream, and a glossy strawberry Jell-O topping. A retro summer favorite that’s always a hit at gatherings.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Resting time4

Total Time4 35

Course: Dessert, Party Food

Cuisine: American

Freezer friendly: No

Shelf life: 3 Days

Servings: people

Author: Samira

Equipment

Ingredients

2.5 cups pretzels crushed (mix of fine and small bits)
¾ cup unsalted butter melted
3 Tbsp sugar
8 oz cream cheese softened
½ cup sugar
8 oz Cool Whip thawed
1 lb strawberries fresh thinly sliced or frozen*
2 packs strawberry Jell-O (6 oz)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup ice cubes or cold water (skip if using frozen strawberries)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
Crush the pretzels until you have a mix of fine crumbs and small pieces.
Combine with melted butter and sugar, then press firmly into the base of a 9x13-inch glass or ceramic dish.
Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar using a handheld or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until fully combined.
Spread evenly over the cooled crust, making sure to seal to the edges.
Chill in the fridge (or briefly in the freezer) for 30 minutes.
Layer the thinly sliced strawberries over the chilled cream layer. Return the dish to the fridge while you prepare the Jell-O topping.
In a large bowl, dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in boiling water, stirring until fully dissolved.
Add ice cubes or cold water and stir gently until the mixture cools and thickens slightly — it should feel like loose egg whites.
Gently spoon the cooled mixture over the sliced strawberries, one spoonful at a time, starting from one corner and working across the dish to avoid disturbing the cream layer.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the Jell-O is fully set.

Video

Notes

*You can use frozen strawberries instead, but they work best stirred directly into the warm Jell-O (see FAQs for how). Skip the ice/cold water if using this method.

check the blog post for more tips, and FAQs.

Nutrition